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7 Rules I Follow to Lose Fat and Build Muscle

By Samuel Dickerson | Better You Better Society


Every week I do live coaching calls. Different people, different situations. But the questions are always the same.

How do I lose weight? How do I build muscle? What do I eat?

My answer is always built on the same foundation. So I put it all in one place for you.

Here are my 7 rules.


Rule 1: Protein and veggies at every meal

Every meal needs a protein source and vegetables. That is the foundation.

Breakfast could be egg whites and spinach.

Lunch could be chicken and broccoli.

Dinner could be salmon and asparagus.

Protein keeps you full. It helps you hold on to your muscle while you lose fat.

Vegetables keep your meals nutritious without adding a ton of calories.

Build every meal around those two things.


Rule 2: Keep the carbs in moderation

Carbs are not the enemy. But you do not need a ton of them.

If you want to lose weight faster you can cut the carbs at 2 meals and just keep them for 1.


Rule 3: If you snack, make it fruit

I love snacking. Most people do. But snacking on the wrong things is one of the main reasons people stop losing weight.


If you are going to snack, keep it to fruit, yogurt or a protein bar.


Personally I find it easier to just not buy snacks at all. If it is not in the house, you cannot eat it. You avoid the temptaion.


Rule 4: Move for 30 to 60 minutes every day


If you are just starting out. Walk in the morning for 30 minutes. Walk at night for 30 minutes. Done.


If you sit at a desk all day, look into a walking pad. It is a small treadmill you put under your desk. You can walk while you work. Easy way to get your steps in without changing your whole routine.


And do not overthink what type of cardio you do. Walking, swimming, whatever. Just move every day.


Rule 5: Lift weights 2 to 4 days a week

You have to lift weights. Especially if you want to build muscle.

It does not need to take long. I do 30 minute sessions right now and I still make progress. Here is a simple split you can start with:

  • Monday: Lower body (squats, lunges, leg press)

  • Tuesday: Upper body (bench press, rows, shoulder press, biceps, triceps)

  • Wednesday: Rest

  • Thursday: Lower body

  • Friday: Upper body

Do 3 to 4 sets per exercise. Around 10 reps. Go close to failure. Focus on compound movements because they work the most muscle at once.

No gym? Two dumbbells at home is enough to start. Goblet squats, split squats, push ups, rows. That might take you 16 minutes. Start there and build up over time.


Rule 6: Get the junk food out of your house

If junk food is in your house it will tempt you. It is that simple.

I know myself. I struggle with food noise. So I just do not buy it. When I open the fridge and there are no snacks there, I am forced to eat what I actually planned to eat.

Stock your fridge with your meal prep, your protein shakes, your fruit. Make the healthy option the easy option. When your environment is set up right, you do not have to fight yourself every day.


Rule 7: Stay consistent even when you are not perfect

This is the most important one.

You are going to have days where you eat pizza. You are going to miss a workout. That is life. But one slice of pizza does not have to ruin your whole day. Have the slice and still get your protein and veggies in. Keep going.

Same thing with workouts. If you are tired and cannot do 30 minutes, do 10. Do 5. Just do something. The habit of showing up matters more than how long you were there.

Consistency over months will always beat two weeks of perfection.


How belly fat actually goes away

This comes up every single week so I want to be clear.

It is not the crunches. It is not the waist trainer. It is not the detox tea.

Belly fat goes away when your body burns more calories than you eat. That is called a calorie deficit. That is the only way it works.

The cardio helps you burn more. The meal plan keeps you eating less. Put those two together every single day and the fat comes off.

That is why I push meal plans. When you know exactly what you are eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner you do not have to think about it. You just eat what you planned. That is what makes this sustainable.


Work overnight? These rules still apply.

You still eat three meals. You just eat them at different times.

First meal at 1 AM. Second meal at 4 AM. Third meal at 8 AM. Whatever works for your schedule. The timing does not matter as much as the consistency. Just stick to the three meals and do not add a bunch of snacking on top of it.


The bottom line

There are a million things you could do to get fit. Keto, carnivore, CrossFit, fasting. It goes on forever. And it will drive you crazy if you try to do all of it.


My job is to cut through all of that and tell you what to focus on. Eat your protein and veggies. Move every day. Lift weights. Clean up your environment. Stay consistent. That is what works.


If you want help building a plan that is specific to you, that is what our one on one coaching is for. We build your meal plan, check in with you every week, and make sure you are actually making progress.

Reach out and we will get you started.




 
 
 

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